§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is still his Department's policy to construct the A.41(M) Berkhamsted bypass.
§ Mr. CarmichaelIt remains the Department's policy to construct a bypass of Berkhamsted. Its standard will depend on the outcome of the examination now being undertaken of the traffic requirement and of consequent further technical appraisal.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will sympathetically consider claims for compensation from amenity groups due to appear at the public inquiry into the A41(M) Berkhamsted bypass arising from the postponement at short notice of this inquiry.
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§ Mr. CarmichaelI will write to my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost of the further examination of the traffic requirement and technical appraisal of the scheme for the proposed Berkhamsted bypass; and when this work is expected to be completed.
§ Mr. CarmichaelIt is not possible to estimate the cost of the further examination at this stage. The work is expected to be completed in about nine months.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will make a more detailed statement on his Department's proposal to carry out a further technical appraisal of the scheme for the whole of the proposed Berkhamsted bypass;
(2) for what reasons his Department now considers it necessary further to examine proposals for the A41(M) Berkhamsted bypass.
§ Mr. CarmichaelIn the light of the traffic information which has recently become available it is considered necessary to reappraise the justification for the construction of the bypass as a dual two-lane motorway.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons only five working days' notice was given of the cancellation of the public inquiry into the route of the A41(M) Berkhamsted bypass.
§ Mr. CarmichaelReasonably firm traffic predictions for the use of the bypass were not received from the Department's consultants until 13th November and these had then to be considered. I will write further to my hon. Friend.